Taking A Chance
by horselover22
Summary: This is a modern one shot. A new guy moves to town and decides to take a chance


This is only a one shot. To Win Her Heart is still on hiatus as I haven't been able to get access to my files of that story. My best friend and I wrote this almost five years ago as something fun to do while we were in class. I hope you like it and enjoy it as much as we had writing it.

JT closed the locker door and quietly stood there for a moment. It had been a month and a half since the new school year had started and he still hadn't made any friends. His family had moved from Montana to California during the summer for his father's new job and he had felt like an outsider ever since.  
Turning to lean against the closed locker, he crossed his arms over his chest, and quietly watched the other students get ready to leave for the day. He could feel a few of them staring his way, but he didn't pay them any mind. His clothes were different than theirs and so were his manners, but he wasn't going to change who he was to please them.

After most of the other people loitering in the hall had left, JT pushed himself off the locker and shouldered his book bag. Making his way down the hall, a small smile tugged at his lips when he heard the clunk clunk of his cowboy boots on the hard tile. He had just walked past the open music room door when he paused and turned his head slightly to hear well.

The soft strands of guitar chords floated through the doorway and JT smiled when he recognized the song. Moving to stand in the doorway, he stilled when he found himself staring at a young lady. She was sitting cross-legged on the music room floor, the guitar balanced expertly in her lap. Gently setting his book bag inside the door, he noticed a piano sitting in the corner and made his way over to it. Keeping his eyes from wandering from his destination and towards the mysterious young woman, JT took a seat on the hard bench. Laying his fingers effortlessly over the keys, he listened to the cords she was playing before joining her.

She faltered in her playing and he snapped his eyes over to her. He found her staring at him with wide eyes hidden behind her dark rimmed glasses. Giving her a smile and nodding his head slightly in acknowledgement, he continued to play and watched as she bowed her head again to concentrate on the music. The room was quiet except for their playing, but he decided to try his hand at something he hadn't done since he was twelve.

Taking a deep breath, JT stole a quick glance at the young woman, before turning back to look at the keys. His voice was deep and hesitant when he started to sing.

 _I came to see her daddy for a sit down man to man_

 _It wasn't any secret, I'd be asking for her hand_

 _I guess that's why he left me waiting in the living room by myself_

 _With at least a dozen pictures of her sitting on a shelf, she was_

His voice a little when he heard a clear, soft voice coming from the corner. Quickly turning his gaze to her, he continued to sing and listen to her voice. It was clear, but he could hear a hesitance in her voice; like she wasn't sure of herself

 _Playing Cinderella, riding her first bike, bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight_

 _Runnin' through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin_

 _Dancin' with her dad, looking up at him_

 _In her eyes I'm Prince Charming, but to him I'm just some fellow_

 _Riding in and Stealing Cinderella_

Their voices blended well together and softly died out. JT struck the cords for a few more minutes before stopping and turning his body so he was fully facing her. He noticed that she had also stopped playing, but kept her gaze fixed on the music sheet laid out at her feet. He took a few more moments to study her. Her hair was a curly dark brown and was pulled back in to a half ponytail at the top of her head; a few strands were falling in to her face. From her sitting position she looked to be on the shorter side in height and maybe a year or two younger that his seventeen years.

Glancing at the wall clock, he noticed that it was already half past three and that he had about an hour before his parents were expecting him back home. Closing the lid over the piano keys, JT stood to his feet and decided to introduce himself. Stopping right in front of her, he gazed down at her. "You have a very beautiful voice, miss."

She looked up startled to hear his voice so close. Gazing at him with wide eyes, she pushed her glasses up further on her nose. JT saw that her eyes were a light green with gold flecks and he felt himself drawn to them. Clearing his throat when he realized he'd been staring, he held out his hand. "JT Lucas at your service," he gave a small bow and grinned when he noticed the corners of her mouth turn up.

Grasping his hand, she shook it, "Mary Bennet and thank you for the compliment."

Gesturing to the empty space, he asked, "May I join you?"

Nodding her head, she watched as he lowered himself to the floor beside her and stretched his legs out in front of him. Mary had seen him around school the last few weeks and had noticed the way the other students were treating him; much the same way they treated her. Today, she saw that he was wearing a dark pair of jeans with a tight fitting t-shirt covered by a dark brown jacket. His feet were clad in dark cowboy boots and a baseball cap finished out his outfit. She looked away when he put his hands behind his head and she saw the strain of his muscles and the broadness of his shoulders.

Leaning back against the wall, JT turned his attention to the young woman staring at the other side of the room. "Why are you in here by yourself when everyone else has already left for the day?"

"My older sisters have tennis practice and they are my ride home. I come here after all the other students have left and practice songs on my guitar." Mary turned her full attention to him and found herself gazing in to his warm chocolate brown eyes. "Why are you in here?"

"I was walking past when I heard the sound of a guitar and recognizing the song, I decided to accompany you. I hope I didn't offend you."

"No, you didn't offend me. When you started playing, I'll admit I was startled, but I enjoyed having someone accompany me." She found herself saying and was puzzled at how easy she found talking with him was. "What does JT stand for?" Mary asked; she had never heard of that name before.

"I will tell you, Mary, on one condition."

"What might that be?"

"Let me see your guitar and then I will tell you what my name stands for," JT smirked and reached for the instrument.

Mary handed it to him and watched as he tuned it the way he wanted it to sound. He started strumming and she listened to his deep baritone voice that had a hint of twang mixed in.

 _Amarillo by morning, up from San Antone_

 _Everything that I've got is just what I've got on_

 _When that sun is high in that Texas sky_

 _I'll be bucking at the county fair_

 _Amarillo by morning, Amarillo I'll be there_

Closing her eyes, Mary moved her position so she was leaning against the wall. His voice sent her heart beating faster and that terrified her. She may have been sixteen, but no guy had made her feel this way. JT continued to play as he watched a small smile grace her lips.

 _They took my saddle in Houston; broke my leg is Santa Fe_

 _Lost my wife and girlfriend somewhere along the way_

 _Well I'll be looking for eight when they pull that gate_

 _And I'm hoping that judge aint blind_

 _Amarillo by morning, Amarillo's on my mind_

 _I aint got a dime, but what I got is mine_

 _I aint rich, but Lord I'm free_

 _Amarillo by morning, Amarillo's where I'll be_

He played a few more cords after the song ended and felt a small amount of satisfaction when he watched Mary Bennet's eyes slowly open. JT gave her a small smile and she gave him a shy one in return. They sat there gazing at each other when she realized he hadn't held true to his word. "I believe you owe me an explanation."

Shifting the guitar, but not handing it back to her yet, he said, "JT stands for Jericho Tucker."

Mary looked at him in disbelief for a few moments. Jericho was an unusual name and this was the first time she had heard of someone with that name. She lowered her gaze when he lifted a brow. "It's an unusual name," she finally managed to say after a few minutes of silence.

JT chuckled and smirked when she snapped her eyes to his. "I don't think I have heard anyone say that about my name. Most people just ask what were my parents thinking when they chose this name. That is one of the main reasons why I go by JT instead of Jericho. Why did you parents pick the name Mary? That isn't a name you hear of much these days."

"My mom's favorite book is Pride and Prejudice and she decided to name her daughters after the main family's daughters."

"So, you have four other sisters and you are stuck in the middle?"

She looked at him suspiciously when he asked that. "How did you know there were five daughters in the book?"

JT quickly shook his head and held up his hand. "I didn't read the book, but my mom did. She gave me a full summary of the book. I didn't ask for the summary, but she decided to tell me anyway."

"I do have four other sisters. Jane and Lizzie are the oldest, then me, and the twins Katie and Lydia. Katie and Lydia are only is seventh grade, but the rest of us are in high school. Do you have any siblings?"

"No I do not, but I do have some cousins who live here. They actually go to this school; a John and Charlotte Lucas."

"I know Charlotte; she is Lizzie's best friend." At the thought of her sisters, she quickly glanced at the clock and noticed with a start that it was almost five o'clock. Her sisters would be coming to find her soon if she didn't find them first. "I really should be going. My sisters are going to come and find me." Mary said and reached her hand up to grab her guitar.

JT lifted the guitar above his head and held out his hand to stop her. "What happens if I don't want you to leave yet? I have been enjoying your company."

Moving to sit on her knees, Mary lifted her hand, and reached above his head. She had almost grasped the end of the guitar when he suddenly shifted his position and she fell onto his lap. Holding herself up with her hands, she looked up at his face and found him smirking down at her. "Oops," he said and chuckled.

"Mary," a voice said from the doorway.

Glancing over her shoulder, Mary saw both of her older sisters standing in the doorway, looking at the pair with a confused expression. Lizzie had a brow raised and a small smile on her face, while Jane stared at them with wide eyes. Pushing herself off his lap, she scowled up at him. JT pushed himself to his feet and held out his hand for her.

When she just sat there and stared at it, he tilted his head slightly, and hauled her to her feet when she finally took it. Once she was firmly on her feet, he handed her the guitar, and watched as she placed it back in its case. Reaching down, he shuffled the sheet music in to a pile, and handed them to her. Mary's fingers lightly brushed his as she accepted the pile of papers and she looked up at him.

He tilted his head in acknowledgement, "It was a pleasure meeting you Mary. I will let you get going, but I hope we can play together again soon." He went over to the door and shouldered the book bag he had left there earlier. Glancing over his shoulder, JT gave her a small smile before walking out the door.

Mary watched him leave and grabbed the handle of her guitar case. Walking over to the doorway where her sister's stood, she stopped when they continued to stare at her.

"Who was that?" Jane asked as they moved out in to the hall. Mary walked in between her sisters and decided to answer their questions.

"His name is JT Lucas. His family just moved here a few weeks ago."

Lizzie laid a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "I'm glad you are making friends with him. I have seen him around the last few weeks and it seems that everyone steers clear of him. I know that he dresses different, but he isn't different from the rest of us. Do you like him Mary?"

A faint blush stained her cheeks at her sister's question. "I only just met him, Lizzie."

~~00~~00~~00~~00~~

 _10 years later_

JT held the reins in his right hand as he led the gelding to the barn. After he had stripped him of his gear, he rubbed the horse down, and walked down the aisles to tend to the rest of the horses. After that was finished, he closed the barn door, and stopped in the middle of the yard. Gazing around him, he breathed in the fresh air, and studied the land spread out around him.

It had been four years since they had moved to Montana and bought the small ranch that consisted of a hundred acres, two barns, corrals, and a small farm house. He had built the dog house and chicken coop only two years ago. The grass was green, lush, and gently blowing in the wind. He smiled when he saw the sun was shining through the trees and lighting up the yard. Making his way to the house, he climbed the porch steps, and walked inside.

Hanging up his hat, JT stepped in to the laundry room and washed his hands. Drying them on the towel, he turned to the open doorway when he heard the sound of little feet running across the floorboards. A big brown and white dog came through first, followed closely by a little girl. Crouching down, he held out his arms, and swung the little girl around when she threw her arms around his neck, "Hi there sweet pea."

Callie hugged her daddy tight and placed a kiss on his cheek. At three years old, she was the spitting image of her mother. She had the same curly brown hair and bright green eyes. "Daddy come see what I made." Callie wiggled out of his grip and skipped in to the kitchen.

JT chuckled and followed her lead. Walking in to the kitchen, he went over to the kitchen table, and looked down at the papers that were scattered all over. He helped Callie in to a chair and watched as she shuffled through the papers looking for the one she wanted to show him. Taking the paper his daughter handed him, JT grinned at what she had drawn. It was a huge picture of their house, colored in all different colors. "This is very pretty, Callie." Bending down, he placed a kiss on her cheek, and let her go back to her drawing.

Making his way through the rest of the house, he found who he was looking for. Standing in the doorway of the nursery, he leaned against the doorframe, and quietly watched the scene in front of him. His wife was sitting in the rocking chair, gently lulling their baby boy to sleep. JT could hear the soft lullaby she was singing and recognized it as the one that was Callie's favorite.

"You can come in you know."

Lifting his gaze to her face, he found her smiling at him. Strolling over to the rocking chair, he placed a hand on the back of the chair, and leaned down to place a kiss to her lips. Turning his gaze to his four month old son, JT smoothed back his small patch of dark fuzzy hair. Tucker's green eyes were staring up at him, watching his every move. "Have you been having trouble getting him to fall asleep?"

Mary shook her head and turned her gaze down to her son. "I think he was just waiting for his daddy to come and say goodnight." She handed their son to his father and stood to her feet. "I will be in the kitchen making supper if you need me." Placing a kiss to Tucker's cheek and one on JT's lips, she left them alone.

Taking the chair that she had just vacated, JT sat down, and cradled his son closer. Green eyes met light brown as father and son gazed at each other. "Have you been keeping your mama from getting anything done today?"

Tucker raised his baby fist and rubbed his ears. He snuggled closer to his father as he started to drift to sleep. JT gazed down at this little bundle of wonder. Even after four years of marriage, he still couldn't believe that he was married to the love of his life and they had two beautiful children.

After he had met Mary Bennet that day in the music room ten years ago, JT had started spending time with her. They would talk of music, his life in Montana before his family moved, and anything else they could think of. He had graduated a year later and left for college, but he never lost touch with the green eyed girl. JT and Mary had started officially going out after she had graduated high school and he had started to fall more in love with her each day.

They had decided to marry on the day they had met and they had found this little place out in Montana. He had never been able to get used to living in the city and Mary had also wanted a change of scenery. They may have lived states away from his and her parents, but they still saw each other on holidays. Gazing back down at his son, a smile tugged at his lips when he saw the little boy was sleeping peacefully.

Walking over to the crib, JT laid his son down, and placed a kiss to his cheek. After one last look, he headed back to the kitchen and found his wife standing at the stove. Moving to stand behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and laid his head on her shoulder to see what she was making. Placing a quick kiss to her cheek, he whispered, "I love you."

Mary leaned back in to his chest and gazed up at him. "I love you too. Now go and set the table. Supper will be ready in a few minutes."

Untangling his arms from around her, he chuckled softly, "Yes, ma'am." Moving to set the table, he glanced at her back. If he hadn't made the decision to walk in to that room all those years ago, he wasn't sure if his life would be like it is now.

This will not be continued, but I thought it was something fun to post. Please Review.


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